Shutdown prompts Dakota Meyer to consider run for Congress

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The U.S. government shutdown drags on and people all around are feeling frustration over a lack of solutions coming from our nation's leaders.

"We're too busy blaming instead of working together on how we can fix this problem," vented Medal of Honor recipient and former Marine, Dakota Meyer.

Meyer said he doesn't understand why there is so many problems going unsolved and said he is feeling the disappointment in D.C.

"With the shutdown, it just frustrates me so much to see that we can't work together to come up with a solution that's in the best interest of Americans."

When the clock hit midnight on Tuesday morning, and the government was officially shut down, Meyer sent out a tweet throwing out a possible solution, he should run for office. The tweet simply said, "Congress 2016, POTUS 2024!"

The tweet spread quickly and many people began responding with support for Meyer.

"I was talking about how bad it is and just how frustrated I am with it. A thing popped in my head, "Well, don't talk about it, be it," summarized Meyer on the spark that's growing. However, he cautions not to call this a campaign kick off just yet.

"All I hope to do is to ignite a fire inside of Americans that they'll go out and make a difference and believe in the same country that my teammates, my fellow Marines and soldiers have laid they're lives down for."

Meyer was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2011 for his actions while in combat. The 25-year-old Kentucky native said he's proudly served his country in battle, now he welcomes the idea of serving his country in a new role.

But if you ask him what party he'd run for, he's quick to reply, "Nobody cared whenever I joined the Marine Corps. if I was a Republican or Democrat. When I served my country the first time and laid my life down, and I volunteered then, so I don't really understand what it matters now."

He went on to say that he thinks his life experience can bring something that's missing in Congress, "I'm 25 and high school educated. I guarantee that I care about this country and making this place great. I can tell you I can't do much worse than what's going on up there in Congress now."

Still Meyer and others keep hoping to see a change come soon in the Capitol because Meyer 2016, or even 2014 for that matter, might be too long to wait. It should be noted that Meyer has yet to fill out any official paperwork declaring his intention to run, but should he pursue office it would be in Kentucky's 1st District, a seat currently held by Republican Ed Whitfield.

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